HEADACHE IN LACUNAR STROKE

The presence of headache within a 72-h interval of stroke onset was in vestigated in a cohort of 145 lacunar infarcts. Fourteen (10%) experie nced diffuse or bilateral headache. Hypertension was less frequent (43 vs 76%; 95% CI: 6 to 60%) and of shorter duration (2.4 vs 7.8 years; t = 2.29; p = 0.02) among patients with headache. Leukoaraiosis was le ss frequent (40% vs 71%; 95% CI: -57 to -7%) and severe (7 vs 24%; 95% CI: -33 to -2%) in patients with headache. Age, sex, stroke risk fact ors, type of lacunar stroke, mode of onset, stroke severity, ultrasoun d and other CT findings were similar in patients with and without head ache. No differences in the sixth month neurological or functional out come were detected between lacunar patients with and without headache. Headache in lacunar stroke cannot be predicted by the clinical charac teristics of the stroke and is not due to coexisting cardiembolism, in tra or extracranial disease. Hypertensive small-vessel disease is less common and severe in lacunar strokes with associated headache.